Alnus hirsuta

Among the Ainu of Hokkaido, the powdered inner bark is drunk as a mild decoction for gut troubles and fever (Hansson, 1998). In Korea, inner bark and young leaves are taken as teas or short decoctions for diarrhea, gut inflammation, and urogenital discomfort (Kim, 2003; Kim, 1982). Russian taiga peoples of southeastern Siberia also prepare a bark decoction as an internal remedy for diarrhea and sore throats (Sillanpää & Niemeyer, 2010). The species is distinguished in East Asian pharmacopoeial writing as a specific astringent (Kang & You, 1994; Korean Pharmacopoeia, 1997).

A practical, well‑tolerated preparation is a short bark decoction. Use 6–8 g of dried inner bark (broken or ground) with 250 ml of water, bring to a boil, then simmer 10–15 minutes, strain, and cool to a warm tea. Two or three cups a day are common in traditional practice for short‑term use during gut upset. Short‑term use of this bark decoction is reasonable, but reliable long‑term dosing data are lacking; as a simple guide, many herbalists limit a bark tea like this to a few consecutive days (Kang & You, 1994). Safety notes: not recommended for pregnancy or in people with known hypersensitivity to Betulaceae. Use caution in children.

The bark is rich in ellagitannins and condensed tannins (gallotannins such as casuarictin; proanthocyanidins), with flavonoids like quercetin and its glycosides, and triterpenoids including betulin and betulinic acid (Okuyama, 1993; Saijyo et al., 2008). These constituents are consistent with astringent and tissue‑tonic activities often described in the historical accounts.

A mild bark tea remains available in some East Asian markets, and a limited number of studies continue to screen Alnus hirsuta extracts for anti‑inflammatory and antimicrobial activity, though clinical trials in humans are still sparse (Lee et al., 2011; Lee et al., 2015).

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